Recon Logistics Freight Management Blog

"Your carriers still suck and eta's on transit times are wrong!!" (Angry Face!).

  There are 2 interesting charts below if you can get past the performance commentary (teaser).

 

Yep - we get it!  This is a performance pandemic while we are living in a pandemic of hysteria.  Fact is, while we see LTL carrier performance ticking up a bit, it remains well, well below historical norms so you continue to deal with more failures and upset customers.  If it's any consolation - you're not alone.  This is INDUSTRY-WIDE.  When we see even the best of the regional carriers struggle, it's systemic.

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims, Freight News, Freight Update

When shipping LTL freight, you’ve likely run into this hypothetical, but common scenario:

A damaged shipment occurs, and it’s 100% the responsibility of the carrier.  

The delivery receipt is signed as damaged, so all the right documentation is in order.  A claim is filed with the carrier.  The carrier takes upwards of a month to review and come to a decision.

Tags: Freight Class, Accessorials, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Rules Tariff, Logistics, LTL Service, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, Freight Insurance, Freight Claims

Price-Gouging by truckload freight brokers has suddenly become a mainstream topic advancing with considerable urgency.  The economic devastation is all around us so any topic related to an entity potentially taking advantage of this devastation is sure to be broadcast to the world.  Finger-pointing now appears to be our new "sport".

Tags: Accessorials, Detention Fees, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, freight cost, freight reporting, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, ltl analysis

If only every freight debate were so simple! The answer is… “It depends…”

Tags: Accessorials, Detention Fees, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, freight cost, freight reporting, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS, ltl analysis

Limited Access - Those additional charges shippers loath are getting more complicated. The accessorial charge is no longer a catch-all for destinations carriers deem out of the ordinary.

Tags: Accessorials, Detention Fees, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Late Delivery, Advance Ship Notice, freight cost, freight reporting, cost per pound, Limited Access, Freight Technology, TMS

Have you looked at the P&L recently and noticed freight making a greater impact than in previous years? When you reach out to those who manage freight in your company, what sort of responses do you get?  

Tags: Accessorials, Detention Fees, LTL, Freight Rates, LTL Carrier Cost, Late Delivery, Advance Ship Notice, freight cost, freight reporting, cost per pound

Does it seem like shipment notifications are just for E-Commerce or Amazon? Not the case- and using Advance Ship Notifications can impact multiple segments of your business.

Tags: Accessorials, Detention Fees, LTL, Freight Rates, Late Delivery, Customer Service, ASN, Advance Ship Notice

As the less-than-truckload landscape changes rapidly and the market hurtles down the path towards tighter capacity, and higher costs – one must wonder what all of this means for today’s shippers and 3PLs.  The days of the time-rich, doting sales rep; bringing pizza by the shipping office and shaking hands or slapping backs every other day are arguably behind us.  Not every problem can be solved with a wink, nudge or quick phone call.

Tags: Freight Terms, Density, LTL Pricing, Accessorials, Freight Tariffs, LTL, Freight Rates, Freight Management, Ship Smarter, Freight Data, Logistics, LTL Carrier, Reweigh, Reclass, Carrier performance, Freight Audit, Freight Pay

How many calls do your customer service representatives (CSRs) have to make related to shipping?

• Get a rate quote
• Confirm a customer has a loading dock
• Provide a status update (tracking)
• Provide instructions on how to handle damage

Here are a few tools that can reduce the burden of freight on your CSRs that a good Transportation Management System (TMS) ought to provide:

Tags: Freight Terms, Density, LTL Pricing, Accessorials, Freight Tariffs, LTL, Freight Rates, Freight Management, Ship Smarter, Freight Data, Logistics, LTL Carrier, Reweigh, Reclass, Carrier performance, Freight Audit, Freight Pay

Tired of fighting with Carriers over discounts, minimum charges and accessorials? Given the economy, capacity pressures, and LTL carrier's current perceived leverage, you may be more successful reducing your freight cost by taking a deep dive into your organization's shipping processes.

Tags: Freight Terms, Density, LTL Pricing, Accessorials, Freight Tariffs, LTL, Freight Rates, Freight Management, Ship Smarter, Freight Data, Logistics, LTL Carrier, Reweigh, Reclass, Carrier performance, Freight Audit, Freight Pay